1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a basketball hoop and, more particularly, to a basketball hoop and net apparatus incorporating a weather resistant net and attachment apparatus.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Various types of basketball hoops and nets have been tried and are in use today. However, the most common type of hoop in use on schools, colleges and in professional competitive sports comprises a metal hoop having an inside diameter of eighteen inches, from which is suspended a fabric cord netting and to which there is secured a typical mounting bracket so as to be readily mounted to what is generally referred to as a "back board".
A plurality of metal wire loop members are affixed, generally by welding, to depend downwardly from the under annular portion of the hoop member. Each wire loop member is bent back on itself, providing a hook to allow the upper looped strands of the net to be individually and removably supported over the formed hooks.
During game play there is a tendency for the looped strands to become disengaged from the hooks, causing delay in the game proceedings while the disconnected net is being fixed. In addition, the continuous movement of the net causes the supporting strands to wear since the net is freely attached to the rim hooks.
Another more serious problem occurs when a player is reaching for the ball or making a shot at the basket rim. When a player has jumped from the playing floor and has his arms, hands, and fingers stretched upwardly, a finger or a ring can be caught in the looped support wire, possibly causing great bodily harm.
Also, because of the greater height of the present-day athlete, a player's head can be brought into contact with the underside of the metal basket rim while he is jumping for the ball under the net. There is also a problem when a player wears a long ornamental neck chain. This, too, has caused serious injury to players with the well known basketball hoop presently in use.
Outdoor basketball goals typically use the above described hoop construction and utilize nylon nets, chain nets, or no nets at all. The nylon nets become torn due to the continuous exposure to the deteriorating effects of sun and rain. Nets made of chain are attached to the depending wire loops or hooks by an "S" link member. The link attachment easily becomes bent out of shape and detached due to pulling on the net. Both types of outdoor nets present the same hazards to the player as described above.
There are several patents which disclose various basketball hoop and net constructions.
Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,269 discloses a protective basketball hoop having a plastic net supporting member fixedly circumfused substantially about the rim. The plastic member supporting the net is an integrally formed, depending, annular rib member, or members. The rib is formed as a continuous circumferential rib or a plurality of equally spaced rib members having the upper cords of conventional net material molded therein.
Palm, U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,916 discloses a basketball hoop having a plurality of "no-tie" fasteners, or hooks, attached to the rim underside and receive the cord loops of the net material. The hooks of the Palm device present the same hazards as conventional hoops described above.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art and these patents in particular by a basketball hoop and net apparatus having a circular metal rim and a coaxial continuous circular ring secured to the underside thereof for attaching and supporting the net therebetween. The lower circular ring has a plurality of circumferentially spaced semicircular depending loops about its periphery which receive the upper link of a chain net or the eye of a rod member forming a part of the net. When the rim and ring members are secured together as by welding, the top chain links or eyes of the rods are movably captured between the two members within the loops. The chain or rod portions of the net may be surrounded by a weather resistive sleeve or provided with a weather resistive coating.